Clamp.



No- 798,499. PATENTED AUG. 29, 1905.

H. DIFLO.

CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED APB.15.1905.

ANDREW a. ummm co.. PNOYD-LIYMOGRAPHERS wAsmnmow. u c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY DIFLO, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE- HALF TOALFRED M. NORTH, OF GERMANTOVVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application filed April 15,1905. Serial No. 255,703.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY DIFLO, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Clamps, of' which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to a clamp especially adapted for employmentas a means for engaging and holding hides or skins in a flat orstretched condition; and in such connection it relates more particularlyto the construction and arrangement of such a clamp.

The principal objects of my invention are, first, to so construct aclamp that the same by engaging the hide or skin does not project abovethe surface of the same while being treated, and, second, to provide theclamp with means adapted to firmly engage and securely hold the hide orskin of varying thickness in a stretched condition.

The nature, scope, and characteristic features of my invention will bemore fully understood from the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, inwhich- Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the clamp embodying mainfeatures of my present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevational viewthereof. Fig. 3 is aview illustrating the under side of the clamp. Fig.4 is a central sectional view of the same, illustrating a clamping-leverin an operative position. Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating theclamping-lever in an inoperative position, and Fig. 6 is a top or planView of a portion of a frame forstretching leather and also illustratingthe clamps connected with theframe by cords and the manner of engagingand holding a skin or hide in a stretched condition within the frame.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a clamp preferably consisting ofastrip of metal (0, having laterally-extending wings a and (0 which bybeing struck up and bent at a right angle to the portion a forming inconjunction therewith the body portion or housing of the clamp A. Thewings a and a serve as bearings for a lever Z), which by means ofprojections I) engaging openings ("0" of the same is pivotally connectedwith the wings a and (0 The leverb at one end terminates in a curvedportion bi, which when the lever Z) is actuated and swung from theposition shown in Fig. 5 into the position shown in Fig. 4 endefineddistance is slightly compressed or bent downward by the base a. In thebase a is arranged a slot 0, which communicates with recesses c and 0arranged in the Wings a" and (6 The recesses 0 and 0 serve to limit themovement of an article B when introduced through the slot 0 into theWings 0 and 0 and behind the curved end 6 of the lever 71 occupying aninoperative position, as shown in Fig. 5. The lever 5 by being movedinto the operative position (shown in Fig. A) will engage the article Bwith its curved end 1 and move the portion B of the same introduced intothe recesses 0 and 0 into engagement with the under side of the base aand hold the same firmly in engagement therewith, as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 4. The article B folds over the edge a of the base a andby resting upon the same projects above the surface of the base a, asshown in Fig. 4. This position of the article B on the base a isimportant, since in the case of a hide or-skin being engaged by theclamp A no portion of the clamp will project above the hide to betreated, but, on the contrary, will lie below the same. If the hide isto be varnished, the brush may be moved safely over the exposed surfaceof the hide B Without encountering obstruction hitherto formed by theclamp, resulting in the spoiling of the hide adjacent to the clamp. Inorder to secure the clamp, engagingahide or skin B in the manner shownin Fig. 6, toa stretching-frame C, preferably a cord (Z is used, whichpasses through an opening a arranged in the base a, and is secured tothe lever b by passing through an opening Z2 thereof and by being tiedbeyond the same into a knob d, as shown in Fig. 4. The free end of thecord d is secured in anysuitable manner to the frame (J. The cord (Z byengaging the lever Z) in the manner hereinbefore described has thetendency to hold the curved end 5 thereof against the base a and thehide B placed between the same. In order to prevent the rapid wear ofthe cord (Z by passing through the opening (fi'of the base a, the sameis formed by striking a certain portion of the base downward and formingan inclined projecting guide a, upon which the cord at rests, asillustraatcd in Fig. 4. of the drawings.

It would be manifestly obvious that a clamp of the construction andarrangement hereinbefore described is adapted for employment for .otheruses than those defined, and hence I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to said uses thereof; but,

Having thus-described the nature and object of my invention, what 1claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

' 1. A clamp, consisting of a base having a slot, wings projectingfromsaid base and having recesses connected with said slot,means arrangedbelow said base and pivotally supported by said wings, said meansadapted when actuated to engage the under side of said base and to holdthe article introduced through said slot in engagement therewith topermit the same to rest and project free of said holding means above theupper side of said base.

2. A clamp, consisting of a base having a slot, wings projecting fromsaid base having recesses communicating with said slot and adapted tolimit the movement of an article introduced through said slot, a leverpivotally supported by said wings and adapted to engage and hold thearticle in engagement with the under side of said base.

3. A clamp, consisting of a base having a slot, wings projecting fromsaid base having recesses communicating with said slot and adapted tolimit the movement of an article introduced through said slot into saidwings, a lever pivotally supported by said wings having a curved portionadapted to engage and hold the article in engagei'nent with the underside of said base to permit the same to rest and project above the upperside of the same.

4:. A clamp, consisting of a base having a slot, wings projecting fromsaid base having recesses communicating with said slot and adapted tolimit the movement of an article introduced through said slot into saidwings, a lever pivotall y supported by said wings having a curvedportion adapted to engage and hold the article in engagement with theunder side of said base to permit the same to rest and project above theupper side of the same, and means adapted to engage saidlever and tohold the curved portion thereof in engagement with said base.

5. A clamp, consisting of a-base having an opening and a slot, wingsprojecting from said base having recesses communicating with said slotand adapted to limit the movement of an article introduced through saidslot and into said wings, a lever pivotally supported by said wingshavinga curved end adapted to engage and move the introduced portion ofthe article toward the base and to hold the same firmly in engagementwith the under side thereof to permit the unengaged portion of the sameto rest and project above the upper surface of said base, and a cordpassing through the opening in said base, connected with said lever andadapted to move and hold the curved end of the same in engagement withthe article and to force the same against said base.

In testimony whereof 1 have hereunto set my signature in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

HARRY DIFLO.

Witnesses: I

J. WALTER DOUGLASS, THOMAS M. SMITH.

